The 10 best performances of 2018
With so many races to choose from, it was incredibly tough to narrow down the year's best performances to just ten. That said, here are the best performances of 2018.
The 2018 season was jam-packed with jaw-dropping performances. Our Canadian athletes set the tone early and often on the International Triathlon Union (ITU) circuit and on the long course scene.
Related: The best of 2018: Canadian performances
With so many races to choose from, it was incredibly tough to narrow down the year’s best performances to just ten, especially with the remarkable comeback races of Matt Russell, Tim Don and Terenzo Bozzone. That said, here are ten of the best performances of 2018.
The greatest performance in history? Jan Frodeno’s Ironman 70.3 World Championship
On, Sept. 2nd, Jan Frodeno (GER) won the 2018 Isuzu IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship to become a two-time champion in the event.
To win the race, Frodeno put together arguably one of the most impressive performances in history on a challenging course. He swam the 1.8K in 21:53, biked 90K in 2:04:28, and ran a 1:06:33 half marathon off the bike.
What was even more impressive, was that he did it against an incredibly deep field. Alistair Brownlee finished second, just a minute and 10 seconds behind the German. Next was the defending 70.3 world champion, Javier Gomez who was just 45-seconds behind Brownlee.
Which Daniela Ryf win would you pick?
Seriously, which one? Daniela Ryf (SUI) dominated every race she entered in 2018.
The only race that was every in question was the Ironman World Championship. Minutes before the start of the race, Ryf was stung by a jellyfish. Despite the pain, she regrouped, came out of the water minutes behind Lucy Charles (GBR) and then stormed back to set a new course record of 8:26:18.
Kristian Blummenfelt’s 3:29:04
Norway’s Kristian Blummenfelt ended the 2018 season with a BANG, posting the fastest 70.3 time in history at the Ironman 70.3 Middle East Championship in Bahrain.
But, it wasn’t just him. Gustav Iden (NOR) and Casper Stornes (NOR) not only joined him on the podium, but they also went under the previous world best time of 3:34:04, set by Michael Raelert in 2009. This isn’t the first time the Norwegians have made history together. Earlier this year, at the ITU World Triathlon Series (WTS) event in Bermuda, Stornes, Blummenfelt and Iden sweep the men’s elite podium.
Stefan Daniel, Canada’s Golden Moment in Australia
At just 21, Stefan Daniel (CAN) has already made a name for himself on the world Paratriathlon stage. Now a three-time world champion, Daniel retained his number one position in the ranks thanks to another impressive world title in Australia at the Grand Final.
Flora Duffy’s solo win at the World Triathlon Series race in Bermuda
In her hometown race, Bermuda’s Flora Duffy dominated WTS Bermuda. Essentially racing solo for the majority of the Olympic-distance course, Duffy captured a huge win. The 2017 world champion would be sidelined for much of the 2018 season with a foot injury.
Hat-trick WTS titles for Mario Mola
For the past three years, Spain’s Mario Mola has won the WTS title. Thanks to his racing smarts and run speed, the Spaniard won half of the WTS races he entered in 2018.
Holland and Zaferes battle for WTS title
With Flora Duffy’s injury, America’s Katie Zaferes and Britain’s Vicky Holland battled for the overall WTS title. The race went all the way down to the WTS Grand Final where Holland got an edge over Zaferes in the 10K run to finish second behind Ashleigh Gentle (AUS), good enough to win the WTS title.
Cody Beals wins in his Ironman Debut
Cody Beals‘ Ironman debut couldn’t have gone better. He came second out of the water. Then set the bike course record, putting pressure on pre-race favourite Lionel Sanders. Next, he smashed the overall course record by six minutes to win his first Ironman in his first race.
Wattage Bombs by Cam Wurf and Jen Annett
In 2017, Cam Wurf (AUS) broke the bike course record at the Ironman World Championship. Then, just a year later, he smashed his own record by three minutes (4:09:06).
In 2018, Canada’s Jen Annett set the fastest bike split by a woman at an Ironman race (4:25:11).
The 2018Â Ironman World Championship
The 2018 Ironman World Championship was something else. In 40 years of racing, there has never been a day like the one we saw on October 13th, 2018. Lucy Charles (GBR) broke one of the longest-standing records in triathlon, the Kona swim course record (now 48:14). Cam Wurf (AUS) went three minutes under his own bike course record. Daniela Ryf (SUI) battled back from jellyfish sting to set a new bike course record. Patrick Lange (GER) capitalized on a perfect race to win the World Championship for the second time in a row and went under eight hours (7:52:39). Ryf won the women’s race in another course record time (8:26:16).